January 2, 2012

FAMILY! :)

Ohh...There is so much to cover since I didn't get to e-mail last week.  So, this is an e-mail covering December 19 to January 1.

So much has happened I don't even know where to start.

Food Report:

Monday: Grilled Chicken

Tuesday: Tacos

Wednesday: Navajo Tacos

Thursday: Pizza

Friday: Steak

Saturday: Clam Chowder

Sunday: Fajitas

Monday: Turkey

Tuesday: Cheeseburgers

Wednesday: Pizza

Thursday: Meatball Sliders

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Tilapia

Sunday: Pho

Investigator Update:

R: BAPTISM!!  Yay!  R's baptism went excellent.  We had a good (not awesome) turn out.  It was so great to watch his brother, C, baptize him.  C was just baptized in August.  Then it was so wonderful to see his step-father, W, confirm him.  W was just baptized in July and just got the Melchizedek Priesthood two weeks ago.  I gave the Talk on the Holy Ghost.  Elder M and I did a presentation of Lesson 1: The Restoration and all went great.

J: We finished teaching him the necessary Preach My Gospel lessons needed before baptism.  He is still waiting on that spiritual confirmation.  I love him.  I think that when he gets that confirmation, he will become a strong member of the Church.  I just think of Brigham Young.  He was not baptized into the Church until around a year of investigating, and he became a prophet.  So, I just need to remind myself, "It's okay that he needs some more time."  I think the direction we will go with him next is reading the Book of Mormon with him.  It is important that he continues doing that.

E, B, A, E: These girls are awesome.  They will be baptized on Friday!  They have asked me to baptize them and I am SOOOOO EXCITED!!!! :)

R: He is good to teach and he asks good questions.  He still doesn't believe in God.  I asked him that if these things were true, what it would mean to him.  He said, "Nothing."  He is very content and complacent with his life as it is now.  Hopefully something will spark with him soon.

B: Another one like R.  We hope something with spark with him soon.  I feel like complacency is a plague...One of Satan's tool to motivate us to be lazy and NOT change.

M: OH!  I LOVE M!  She is 26 and has been SO fun to teach.  We taught her all the missionary discussions in ONE week before she had to up and move to Michigan.  She was so great and we did breakfast with her on Christmas Eve.  When we had to say our good-byes, she started crying because she was so sad we wouldn't be able to see her anymore.  She was so grateful for all that we had done and taught her.  I hope the missionaries in Michigan have made contact with her and are keeping that spirit going.

Weekly Summary:

Mon, Dec. 19: Taught M Lesson 1 at the Ls.  Dad, do you know any Ls?  They have been in Vegas since the beginning of time like we have.  His name is Dan Leavitt.

Tues, Dec. 20: Taught A a Christmas Lesson.  Taught M part of The Plan of Salvation.  I had the opportunity to give her a blessing because she wasn't feeling well.  The Spirit was so strong and moved Melinda to tears.  It was such a great experience.  Taught the Bs a Christmas lesson (Less-Active).

Wed, Dec. 21: Taught R a Christmas Lesson.  Taught M about the rest of The Plan of Salvation.  We asked M before talking about the Spirit World, "What do you think happens after we die?  Does anything happen?"  She said that she had a dream the other night that she died and she was asked to teach other spirits.  WOAH!  How awesome is that!?  We proceeded to tell her that those who have accepted Christ's gospel will be preaching the gospel to those who haven't received it in the Spirit World.  We taught C (Less-Active) and B about The Restoration.  He doesn't believe in God and only believes in Aliens, so it was interesting.  We had a good conversation.  The whole time his wife just looked at him like he is wacky.

Thurs, Dec. 22: Taught R The Restoration.  Taught M part of Lesson 3: The Gospel.  Finished teaching R about The Plan of Salvation and then shared a Christmas Lesson with the Ts.  We stayed with the family as W did a Family Home Evening lesson.  It is so wonderful to see our recent convert so a part of the gospel and the Church.  We all had a great time with his lesson on Gratitude.

Fri, Dec. 23: Taught the H Girls Lesson 3: The Gospel.  Shared a Christmas Lesson with J and D.  We had lunch with our Zone Leaders and Elder Cs (he works in the mission office).  We taught R Lesson 3: The Gospel.  We spent the evening having dinner with and teaching M the rest of Lesson 3: The Gospel and all of Lesson 4: The Commandments.

Sat, Dec. 24: Merry Christmas Eve!  We had two breakfasts.  One with M and the Ls and one with the Ts.  We taught R part of Lesson 4: The Commandments.  We taught J a Christmas Lesson.  We had to be in at 6:00pm.  I went to bed early.  So great.

Sun, Dec. 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Church was great, yadda, yadda...I GOT TO CALL HOME!  Yay!  It was so great to see and talk to you guys over Skype.  How fun!  I love you all so much!  I can't wait until Mother's Day!  Thanks for the gifts!

Mon, Dec. 26: P DAY!  We taught the H Girls part of Lesson 4: The Commandments.  We taught J the Law of Chastity.

Tues, Dec. 27: We visited the Es (Less Active with Recent Convert M.  They gave Uncle A their golden retriever).  They are SO great.  I love this family SO much.  I am like best friends with them.  Anyway, we taught M a lesson on Gratitude and set up a time for us to do dinner with them this week.  They are just the best.  I wish they would come to church.

Wed, Dec. 28: Taught R about the Holy Ghost.  Taught the HKids the rest of Lesson 4: The Commandments.  Taught H (W biological son) part of Lesson 4: The Commandments.  Taught C and B The Plan of Salvation.

Thurs, Dec. 29: Splits Day!  I was with my District Leader, Elder G all day.  I think he is a good guy, but I don't feel a genuine love or concern from him.  I think that is pretty important.  Anyway, it was interesting.  He did the He Girls' Baptismal Interviews.  We taught R the rest of Lesson 4: The Commandments.  The Zone Leaders came and give him the Baptismal Interview.

Fri, Dec. 30: Weekly Planning, mormon.org, and R'S BAPTISM!  So great! :)

Sat, Dec. 31: Happy New Years Eve! Taught F and D about Faith and Enduring To The End and watched Legacy with them.  Love that movie.  Had to be in early.

Sun, Jan 1: HAPPY NEW YEARS! 2012!  I hate only having 5 hours of church.  It is SO not enough to get done all the things that need to get done and talk to all the people that need to be talked to.  I am not a fan.  Anyway, we had Pho so it's all good.  OH, and it was a non-proselyting day so we played a game with the E's called Mexican Train and it was SOOO FUN!!  We should play!

Wow.  That was very condensed version of the last 2 weeks.

Small World Stories:

1) Our dinner appointment on Thursday night was with some members that I had not met before.  Brother and Sister S welcomed us into their home.  As we ate dinner, we started talking about the usual, "What do you do for work?", "How long have you been married?", etc.  I asked the question, "Where are you both originally from?"  Sister S, Megan (different from Megan S, the one I went to EFY with), said that she grew up in Logandale.  Of course my response being, "Oh!  I have family in Logandale!"  She then asked, "Who?"  I told her, "Well, I have a few members of my family living there.  My Grandparents are M and C Edwards..."  She cut me off immediately and exclaimed, "Wait!  Your cousin is Jace!?"  It turns out that Megan S, , is one of Jace's good friends.  They grew up in the same grade together, same ward, same seminary, and even both played on the high school tennis team.  It was so fun to hear her talk about the great memories she had of Jace.  Her mother is Grandma's visiting teacher and Uncle Larry married Megan to her husband.

Spiritual Thought:

I love working, speaking, and interacting with the youth.  There is such a special light about the faithful "youth of the noble birthright," (Hymns, "Carry On").  In speaking to his son Helaman, Alma says, "O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God," (Alma 37:35).  I love that the Church has such great programs to help keep the youth and their thoughts and actions centered on Jesus Christ.  Youth today probably get seen by more non-members than any other age group because they are in schools, at work, out with friends, etc.  We need to make sure that our youth are a part of their respective program whether it be Personal Progress or Duty To God/Scouting and for all, Seminary.  These programs will help root important gospel principles in them that non-members will notice.  The youth can prove to be one of the greatest missionary efforts that the Church has.  I have enjoyed working with the youth and meeting and teaching their non-member friends and seeing them come into the Church.  Youth are at an age where there are a lot of changes and decisions to be made.  Many converts come into the Church during their teenage years such as my Mother did.  The Church just came out with a newly revised, "For The Strength Of Youth" that can be downloaded at: https://lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/ForTheStrengthOfYouth-eng.pdf?lang=eng .  The concepts discussed in this booklet on Dating, Agency, Language, Work, Entertainment, Media, and more, if taught and followed, will help our youth be continually steadfast and immovable in the gospel.  As they keep the standards set before them, they will be blessed and a continual increase of interest from non-members will occur.  I have a love for the youth.  "As Zion's youth in latter days, [they] stand with valiant heart, with promise shining in [their] eyes, resolved to do [their] part.  Upon a noble past [they] build; the future fills [their] view.  [They] face the challenge of our day and pledge [they] will be true...[They're] here to serve a righteous cause; truth gives [them] strength to dare.  [They'll] love, and learn, and overcome; [They'll] sing a joyful song, as Zion's youth in latter days, triumphant, pure, and strong," (Hymns, "As Zion's Youth In Latter Days").  I know that there is power in the youth of these latter days.  If we are sensitive to the their spiritual needs and bold in our declaration of truth to them, miracles will proceed.

I love you all so much!  Thank you for loving ME!  :)  Tell everyone I said, "Hi!" And that I love them!  I love everyone's mail.  Keep it coming.  Transfer calls are this week.  By the end of this transfer I will have been in my first area almost 6 months, so we will see what happens!!!  I may stay...I may go.  I just...don't...know!!!!

Love,

Elder Sean Edwards